Jeppesen holding chart-update contest at Miami show

Posted on February 11th, 2009

Jeppesen Marine is hosting a contest at this weeks Miami International Boat Show to demonstrate the importance of updating electronic nautical charts.

The company will present a side-by-side comparison of the same chart area from one release to the next. Each day, the visitor who identifies the most changes will receive a Club Jeppesen Marine membership.

Jeppesen updates its electronic chart database twice a year to incorporate such changes as buoys that have been relocated, aids to navigation that have been deployed or removed, and new lane marker positions. Chart updates also may include aerial photography of inlets and harbors, and information on marina services, fuel docks, pumpout stations and no-fish zones.

Its important for boaters to rely on basic navigation tools such as radar or visual cues, but having updated charts helps to reinforce a boaters situational awareness, said Michelle Buckalew, senior marketing manager for Jeppesen Marine, in a statement. That is why we strongly encourage customers to update their electronic charts at least once a year.